Abacus instruction device

ABSTRACT

An abacus instruction device, which enables answer numerals to be exposed below the moved beads, being effective as instruction device for pupils and foreigners.

i2 EEEQ@ QS @QEE [191 i111 @BEAM Regime i451 May 8, i973 [54] ABCUS INSTRUCTION DEVICE [56] References Cited Inventor: Tsullej Kojima, NO. 65, Higashi- Sugi-Machi, 2-ch0me, Kita-ku, Nagoya-shi, Japan 1,863,927 6/1932 Komm ..35/31 B i 3,092,917 6/1963 Podell ..35/33 [22] Filed: Feb. l1,l972 [2i] APPL No.: 225,513 Primary Examiner-Wm- H. Grieb Attorney-Alvin Browdy et al.

[30} Foreign Application Prim-ity Data [57i ABSTRACT May 2l, 1971 Japan ..46/41194 An abacus instruction device which enables answer numerals to be exposed below the moved beads, being [52] U.S. Cl 3S/33 effective as instruction device for pupils and [51] Int. Ci. .,G06c 1/00 foreioners. [58] meid ofsearch 3s/33, 32, 31 B l Ciaim, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTE() HAY 8 975 SHEET 2 0F 3 ABAQUS INSTRUCTION DEVICE This invention relates to an abacus instruction device intended for promoting an understanding of abacus operation by the infants, pupils and foreigners.

The main feature of this invention resides in sliding numeral plates, sliding sash plates and an answer indicating plate mounted for mutual cooperation, due to the specific construction of the abacus beads, bead shafts and abacus frame.

An embodiment of this invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a plan view of an abacus instruction device of the present invention, which is partly cut open;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, in which an answer appears;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the present invention device, in which component parts thereof are disassembled;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line I-I of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line lI-II of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a part of the device, taken along the line III-III of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 6, but taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 4; and

FIGS. 8(a), (b) (c) and (d) show the operation of the present abacus instruction device.

In the drawings, the abacus instruction device is generally designated by Letter A and comprises a frame proper B, bead shafts C, abacus beads D, sliding numeral plates E, sliding sash plates F, frame cover G, an answer indicating plate H and a partition bar l.

Frame proper B has a transverse section approximately in the shape of the letter of L and a rectangular plan configuration. On the upper side of an upright framing l defining the long side of the rectangle of the frame proper B, there are formed a series of grooves 1a at fixed intervals from each other for fitting bead shafts C to be described later. On the upper side of the framing l defining the short side of the rectangle of the frame proper B, there are provided grooves 1b for fitting a partition bar I designed for separating the bead a from the remaining beads b. The inner face of the upright framing 1 defining the upper long side of said rectangle is specially formed with a wall with smaller thickness by machining so as to provide a mating part lc for fitting said frame cover G to be later described in detail. The horizontal framing 1', extended in a flange fashion outwards from the lower part of the upright framing l, is so formed that the length of extension d at the upper side is larger than the length of extension d at the lower side. These lengths of the extensions d, d' are selected to be equal to the lengths of extension of the bead shafts C in upward and downward directions from the vertical framings 1 when seen in the plan view.

Bead shaft C is formed as a channel with a groove 2 opened to the upperside. On each lateral edge of the groove 2, there are formed stepped parts 2a symmetrically for overlappingly fitting slidable numeral plate E and sliding sash plate F. On the underside of the bed part 2b of the bead shaft C, there is formed a stopper 3 projecting downwards therefrom for engaging with the lower part of the upright framing l provided along the long side of the rectangular frame B. This stopper 3 is provided on the bead shaft C so that both ends of the latter register approximately with the outer edges of the flange-shaped horizontal frame 1 provided along the long side of the rectangular frame B.

The bed part 2b is formed for the entire extent of the bead shaft C through which the beads b perform their sliding movement. On the other hand, a cut-out portion 4 is provided longitudinally on the bead shaft C for the extent of the sliding movement of the bead a so as to be opened at the upper surface of the shaft C. Said cut-out portion d is designed for fitting a raised part of the bead a so as to serve as a guide passage for the sliding bead a as will be described hereinafter in detail.

The beads, generally indicated by letter D, comprise two kinds of beads, that is, the bead a representing the order of 5 and positioned above the bar I and four beads b representing the order of l to 4 and positioned below the bar I, when seen in the exploded view of FIG. 1. Beads a and b are similar to conventional abacus beads in that they are constituted from two truncated cones connected together at their larger base surfaces. The difference is such that the bead has a regular hexagonal shape when seen from the bottom, and that the bead shaft C for receiving the beads has a rectangular shape when seen in transverse section. The bead a has a different construction from beads b when seen in a transverse section. The bead b has a transverse section in the form of a silo, on the base part of which is formed a rectangular groove 5 for insertion of bead shaft C. On the other hand, the bead a has a transverse section such that a raised part 6 is provided so as to project upwards from the base surface 5a of the rectangular groove 5, said part 6 having, furthermore, a stepped part 6a flush with said stepped part 2a.

Said raised part 6 ts snugly with the cut-out portion 4 formed on the bed part 2b of bead shaft C along the lateral wall of its stepped part 6a when the bead shaft C is passed through the bead a. Furthermore, said raised part 6 has a projection '7 on its top surface, said projection 7 having a shape to fit snugly into a mating hole 8 provided towards the upper end of the sliding numeral plate E and having a height equal to the thickness of the latter.

Sliding numeral plate E has a breadth such that it fits snugly into the deep recess of the groove 2 formed on bead shaft C. The above-mentioned hole 8 engaging with said projection 7 is formed towards the upper end of the plate E. Below said hole 8, said plate F has a series of numerals O to 9 with numerals 5 to 9 and numerals 0 to 4 alternating as shown. These numerals are so provided that they will be exposed along the extent of sliding movement of the beads b guided along the inside ofthe cut out portion 2 on the bead shaft C.

Sliding sash plate F has a breadth such that it fits snugly with the shallow recess of the groove 2 on said bead shaft C, and has a pin 9 towards its upper end, said pin 9 having a height approximately equal to the thickness of the plate E and adapted for mechanically linking the latter with the answer indicating plate I-I to be later described in detail. Plate F has five windows or openings 10 towards its lower side adapted for visibly indicating each other numerals 0 to 9 provided on said plate E.

Frame cover G has a transverse section in the form of a FIG. 7 and a rectangular plan shape. Said cover G has a horizontal section 11 with a breadth equal to that of the horizontal framing 1 formed as flange of the frame B. The inner end of said section 11 is bent downwards at 11a for fitting with a mating recess 1c formed towards the upper end of the upright framing of the frame B. The upright section 11b of the cover G is adapted for covering the end faces of the bead shafts C and bar l. A mating section llc is formed on said section 11b for engaging with the end of the horizontal framing l of the frame B. The upper horizontal section 11 when seen in the plan view has a broad width for enclosing said answer indicating plate H in its interior slidingly and has an opening 12 at its end for pulling out said plate H manually. A reinforcing rib 11d is formed towards the upper end extremity of the horizontal section l1.

Answer indicating plate H has as many inclined openings 13 as there are bead shafts C, said openings 13 being designed for insertion of said pins 9 on the sliding sash plate F slidingly fitted into the groove 2 of the bead shaft C. Answer indicating plate H is tted in the interior space of the upper 20 horizontal section of the frame cover G covering the frame B, with the respective pins 9 on the plate F inserted into the openings 13, so that the answer indicating plate H will perform a reciprocating movement for a distance x which is equal to the length ofthe opening 13 projected on the horizontal axis. When the -answer indicating plate H is moved said distance x in the horizontal direction, the pin 9 on the sliding sash plate F will move a distance y which is equal to the length of the opening 13 projected on the vertical axis. By this movement of the plate H, the windows on said sash plate F will be displaced a distance y between the adjoining numerals 14 on the numeral plate E.

As described above, the sash plate F will be reciprocated vertically for a distance y through the movement of the answer indicating plate H, while the numeral plate E is reciprocated vertically for a distance y through movement of the bead a. Therefore, when the bead a is brought to its lower position as in FIG. 8(a) and the end of the answer indicating plate I-I is pulled towards right as in FIG. 8(c), sash plate F will be moved upwards, exposing the uppermost window 10 on the upper surface of bead shaft C between the bar I and the uppermost bead b and thus causing the numeral 5 to appear in said window 10.

Similarly, when one or more lower beads b are brought to their raised positions, as shown in the third and fifth column from the right in FIG. 1, and the answer indicating plate H is pulled towards the right, as in FIG. 2, sash plate F will be moved upwards, exposing the window beneath the lowermost head b which has been raised. The numbers l-4 will be exposed when bead a is in its raised position (see the third column from the right in FIG. 2); and the numbers 9 will be exposed when bead a is in its lowered position (see the fifth column in FIG. 2). This is due to the reciprocation of numeral plate E with head a as discussed hereinabove.

In this way, since this device enables the answer numerals to be exposed below the moved beads, it is highly effective as instruction device for pupils and foreigners.

What is claimedjs: n

abacus instruction apparatus comprising a frame defining a rectangular space having a long side and a short side, a plurality of bead shafts mounted on said frame at iixed intervals parallel to each other and the short side of said frame, a partition bar mounted on said frame for dividing said rectangular space into two rectangular spaces in a ratio of approximately 1:4, a plurality of beads mounted on each bead shaft, one of said beads representing the order of 5 being mounted above said partition bar and four beads representing a numeral in the order of l being mounted below said bar, a groove in said bead shafts, a numeral plate having a slot opening therethrough and a sash plate overlappingly mounted in said groove adapted for reciprocation independently of each other, a cut-out portion opening upwardly in said bead shafts for reciprocation of said one of said beads representing the order of 5, a raised portion approximately at the center of said one of said beads for engaging said cut-out portion, a pin projecting upwardly from said raised portion a height approximately equal to the thickness of said numeral plate and passing through said slot opening in said numeral plate, an indication of the series of numerals 0 9 on the lower part of said numeral plate, said numerals 0 9 being so arranged that numerals 5 to 9 and 0 to 4 alternate with each other, five openings in said sash plate aligned with said beads and separated a distance equal to the interval between two adjoining numerals on said numeral plate, a horizontally sliding answer indicating plate mounted above said one of said beads, a plurality of inclined slots in said answer indicating plate each being aligned with one said bead shafts, and a pin projecting upwardly from each said sash plates for a distance equal to the thickness of said answer indicating plate, said pin fitting onto one of said inclined slots.

Bk Ik 

1. An abacus instruction apparatus comprising a frame defining a rectangular space having a long side and a short side, a plurality of bead shafts mounted on said frame at fixed intervals parallel to each other and the short side of said frame, a partition bar mounted on said frame for dividing said rectangular space into two rectangular spaces in a ratio of approximately 1: 4, a plurality of beads mounted on each bead shaft, one of said beads representing the order of 5 being mounted above said partition bar and four beads representing a numeral in the order of 1 being mounted below said bar, a groove in said bead shafts, a numeral plate having a slot opening therethrough and a sash plate overlappingly mounted in said groove adapted for reciprocation independently of each other, a cut-out portion opening upwardLy in said bead shafts for reciprocation of said one of said beads representing the order of 5, a raised portion approximately at the center of said one of said beads for engaging said cut-out portion, a pin projecting upwardly from said raised portion a height approximately equal to the thickness of said numeral plate and passing through said slot opening in said numeral plate, an indication of the series of numerals 0 - 9 on the lower part of said numeral plate, said numerals 0 - 9 being so arranged that numerals 5 to 9 and 0 to 4 alternate with each other, five openings in said sash plate aligned with said beads and separated a distance equal to the interval between two adjoining numerals on said numeral plate, a horizontally sliding answer indicating plate mounted above said one of said beads, a plurality of inclined slots in said answer indicating plate each being aligned with one said bead shafts, and a pin projecting upwardly from each said sash plates for a distance equal to the thickness of said answer indicating plate, said pin fitting onto one of said inclined slots. 